


right round (like a record)

by charleybradburies



Series: Matt Murdock Appreciation Week 2015 [5]
Category: Daredevil (TV), Marvel, Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Blind Character, Blindfolds, Blindness, Canon Disabled Character, Community: 1_million_words, Crime Fighting, Dancing, Dialogue Heavy, F/M, Friendship, Friendship/Love, Gen, Gyms, Male-Female Friendship, POV Female Character, Punching, Sensory Deprivation, Surprises, Survival Training, Teasing, Training, Trust, Vigilantism
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-11-17
Updated: 2015-11-17
Packaged: 2018-05-02 05:47:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 879
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5236565
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/charleybradburies/pseuds/charleybradburies
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Karen reaches a new level in her fight training. </p>
<p>Matt Murdock Appreciation Week | Day Five (Nov 17): Favorite Fight || Writing Prompt: Trust</p>
            </blockquote>





	right round (like a record)

They’ve only just stepped into the corner by the punching bag this time before Matt’s demeanor changes. Karen’s proud that she notices, but her stomach turns with concern. 

“Are you...okay, Matt?” she asks a bit nervously, and it doesn’t help that he smiles.

“Do you trust me, Karen?”

She opens her mouth, then closes it, although she does realize he’s aware of that. She pauses for a gulp before speaking, figuring it can’t worsen any odds in whatever sort of argument might be coming up.

“Yes, of course.”

“How much?”

“I...with my life. But how...how is that relevant here?”

“Come here.”

He’s just a couple feet away, and her arms have already distractedly crossed themselves, but she moves past the punching bag and over to him - only to be turned around so she’s facing away. 

Then she hears the slightest rustling of his pants as he reaches into his pocket. Her heart speeds up just a bit, but it’s unnerving knowing that he’s able to tell.

He touches, not quite grabbing, her hand, from behind her, and she can tell that whatever he’s holding is silk. It seems shorter and broader than a tie, though; she doesn’t know what it is until he lets go of her hand a moment later and raises his hands above her head. 

_Oh, God, a blindfold._

He’s unexpectedly careful not to tie it too tightly at the back of her head; the knot just barely sits at the point where it meets her neck. 

“This is a far more uneven playing field than usual, Matt.”

“I know. But you wanted to be safe alone, yes? That’s what you told me.”

“Yes, but I - I don’t know how to see the way you do.”

“You know what the gym looks like. You know what I look like. You know what I’ve told you. Today, that’s all you need to start out with. You’re not forming a picture with your other senses, just adding to it, okay?”

She nods. 

“Okay.”

“It is okay to be nervous, too. But I’m not going to hurt you.”

“But it’s not like I could block anything, like the times we were in the ring.”

“How do you think that I do it?”

She sighs, partly in jest, partly in disbelief, and partly in whatever conglomeration of other things she’s feeling. “Magic, pretty much.”

“Well, not quite,” he chuckles, and because she doesn’t know how to say anything in response, neither of them says anything for a few seconds, but after a short while the atmosphere seems to have changed. 

“You moved,” she surmises. “Didn’t you?”

“You notice more than you think you do, Karen,” he replies with pride that’s almost haughty, and yes, by the direction of his voice, he’s a couple feet in front of her now. 

“You just have to notice what it is that you’ve noticed.”

“If I didn’t know you that would be even more confusing than it already is.”

“But you do.”

“You sound like a proud father,” she giggles.

“Certainly hope that’s not all true. I am proud, though, yes.”

They both laugh this time - Karen, enough so that she actually closes her eyes; finding that the blindfold is more comfortable that way, she decides to keep them shut though it further accentuates that she legitimately can’t see.

“Wait, are you - if you’re going to show me how to block a punch or something, why are you moving farther away?”

“Firstly, I’m grabbing something. Secondly, I never told you I was going to teach you to block something today.”

“In all fairness, you didn’t mention the blindfold either.”

“That’s true. But no, I think you’d need to learn how to punch blindly first.”

“Right. That - that makes sense.”

“I thought so.”

“Oh, shut up.”

“Now, the bag was, last time you checked, just a bit too far in front of you for you to touch, right?”

“I believe so, yeah.”

“Turn yourself around a little, then find it. And yes, I mean without looking.”

“Oh, God.”

“Nothing’s gonna happen. Nothing bad, that is.”

“You -”

“Yes, I do know that. Because I know I’m not going to let anything bad happen to you. Do you know that, Karen?”

“...Yes. Yes, I do.”

“Good.” The moment that he waits to respond is stressful, but then Matt’s back near her side. “Now, turn around a time or two.”

He reaches out - grabbing her hand without needing a second to know where it is - and holds it up above her head, cuing her to spin.

“Matthew Michael Murdock, do you dance?”

“Would it shock you if I did?”

“After finding you’re a masked vigilante,” Karen whispers as she straightens her arm out, properly clasping his raised hand in hers, and spins, “I’m not sure anything about you could shock me anymore.”

Again, the response takes a moment - enough of one she starts to wonder if she should just keep spinning or let go and try to find the damn punching bag.

Even after that, a barely readable “hmm,” is all Matt says before sliding his arm down to her side, stopping her movement with both of their hands together on her hip. 

Finding the bag, thankfully, is easier than she expects it to be.


End file.
